Lesson 1: Travel Light

As I walked through the airport security and had to remove things cramped in my bag, off my wrists, and out of my pockets, I realized I had once again overdone it a bit. The thing about a trip like this is, less really is more. And not just in your suitcase, but all around. I tend to carry so much around in life... I have a hard time letting go of people, (just ask any of my ex boyfriends who I'm still friends with...ha ha), places, and things. So as I set off with bags full of only a few of the necessities, 2 pairs of sandals, a few clothes,... and tons of toilet paper, lotion, first aid, art supplies, crystals, feathers, parachute men and granola bars.... I realized that maybe it's time to start lightening up the load a bit. Do I really need all these things I tote around with me? I've done this before, and I ended up coming back from 5 months in India with MUCH less then I started with. I brought all the wrong things, which I ended up giving away, got what I needed, and then left most of that behind as well! It seemed so simple then, so why is my mind back in more, more, more mode? On the plane my mental baggage was weighing me down... I was thinking about what I forgot, what I'm gonna do when I get back, what I can accomplish while here, who I forgot to call, who I wish I would've gotten to talk to, things I never got to do, and decided that was the first bag I would leave behind. The one full of worries, doubts and expectations of all the things I have to do and see. I already know that none of these crazy things I create are necessary and the way my journey unfolds as I go is always so much better than something I could create. That is the bag I should have gotten rid of a while ago, but I always seemed to make up a reason to keep it around. It always feels better to have less... less to carry, less to worry about, less to lose! As I was sitting here with my huge bag, I started talking to these guys and they couldn't believe how big it was. "You really don't need much, you can get anything you need as you go," one of them told me. I knew this, and in fact had been told by some other friends who had taken this trip of the same thing... but what can I say, I like stuff! It hit me though, that yes, I may like it, but I don't need it. I don't need to stay friends with everyone I've ever met, I don't need to keep all the toys and old airline tickets that occupy my storage unit, and I don't need to keep all the random crap in my bag!! This trip I will travel light... light on wants, light on luggage, with plenty of light to share.